The team had seen little more than sea pigs before the shocking encounter.

One researcher said, “Hey big fella,” when the creature loomed into the shot.

“I can see it ripple,” said another one appreciatively.

They used scaling lasers to determine the deep sea creature was an impressive 60cm long.

MYSTERIOUS: The bizarre-looking octopus waves its fins like a ghost (Image: E/V NAUTILUS)

The average size is between 20 - 30cm.

The serene-looking critter lives at depths below 1,000ft and feeds on crustaceans near the ocean floor.

“At first the ghostly octopod drifted past the camera flapping its pair of wing-like fins, then it inverted its web, spreading it like an umbrella to reveal the eight arms each with a single series of suckers and two series of finger-like muscular structures called cirri,” the team said.